Re Focus

When our priority is self based or is derived from the well of self pacification (simply put, when we are driven by “us” and how we can satisfy ourselves first and foremost), we err greatly.

Haggai 1:2 – The Message
A Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies: "The people procrastinate. They say this isn't the right time to rebuild my Temple, the Temple of God."

I’m concerned about those who know their God and yet put their affairs before His. The passage above uses the word procrastinate… because they know what they should do, but decide to put it to a later time… why? Because…

Haggai 1:3-4 – The Message
Shortly after that, God said more and Haggai spoke it: "How is it that it's the 'right time' for you to live in your fine new homes while the Home, God's Temple, is in ruins?"

God expects us to be more concerned about Him and His affairs than we are about any other thing including our lives. One of the ways we know we are experiencing “me time” or “me season” is when we seem to be doing everything in our lives right and still be in a mess…

Haggai 1: 5- 7 – The Message
And then a little later, God-of-the-Angel-Armies spoke out again:
Take a good, hard look at your life.
Think it over.
You have spent a lot of money,
but you haven't much to show for it.
You keep filling your plates,
but you never get filled up.
You keep drinking and drinking and drinking,
but you're always thirsty.
You put on layer after layer of clothes,
but you can't get warm.
And the people who work for you,
what are they getting out of it?
Not much—
a leaky, rusted-out bucket, that's what.
That's why God-of-the-Angel-Armies said:
Take a good, hard look at your life.
Think it over."

Are you willing to concentrate on God? As a child of God, you have a purpose you are to fulfill and you know (or now you do) that the things of God should be your priority. Have you put God aside to fulfill your own desires? Should your desires not be aligned with God’s will for your life? How are you fulfilling your purpose (do you know your purpose?) Are you actively pursuing after the things of God, do you care about the things of God (or do you push it to the backseat and only get to it when you can because “other” things are more important?) Do you wish to refocus and put first things first (…Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and every other thing will be added to you… (Matt 6:33)?

Haggai 1:8 – The Message
Then God said:
Here's what I want you to do:
Climb into the hills and cut some timber.
Bring it down and rebuild the Temple.
Do it just for me. Honor me.

I have asked if you are willing to concentrate on pleasing God by putting Him and His business ahead of you and your business, but the truth is you do not have a choice if you want to live fulfilling lives. God has asked us to come back to Him and ask for help (insight, zeal, knowledge and resources) to accomplish all He has mapped out for us. When we do that just for Him, we honor Him. Besides,

Haggai 1:9 – The Message
You've had great ambitions for yourselves,
but nothing has come of it.
The little you have brought to my Temple
I've blown away—there was nothing to it

Unless you are offering God everything in you and putting Him first in your life and service to Him, all your “efforts” are nothing to Him.

Haggai 1: 9 – 11 – The Message
And why? (This is a Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies, remember.) "Because while you've run around, caught up with taking care of your own houses, my Home is in ruins. That's why. Because of your stinginess. And so I've given you a dry summer and a skimpy crop. I've matched your tight-fisted stinginess by decreeing a season of drought, drying up fields and hills, withering gardens and orchards, stunting vegetables and fruit. Nothing—not man or woman, not animal or crop—is going to thrive."

Now, we don’t want to be against God or to have God against us. When we know what we should do and refuse to do it, we are being rebellious (James 4:17), and rebellion is likened to the sin of witchcraft (1 Sam 15:23), but when we realize the extent to which we have erred and seek to make things right by listening to and obeying the word of God, we honor Him.

Haggai 1:12 – The Message
Then the governor, Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and the high priest, Joshua son of Jehozadak, and all the people with them listened, really listened, to the voice of their God. When God sent the prophet Haggai to them, they paid attention to him. In listening to Haggai, they honored God.

Our Father knows that we cannot do anything by ourselves; even pleasing Him, No matter how right our hearts are, we can do nothing without His help. When we realize that, and still seek to please Him and put Him first... here’s what He graciously says…

Haggai 1: 13 – King James Version
Then spake Haggai the LORD's messenger in the LORD's message unto the people, saying, I am with you, saith the LORD.

The God we voluntarily and whole heartedly serve is a merciful God, because of His unending love and mercies He has not required that we come filled with all the zeal and knowledge we need to do the work He has called us to do, no… all we need is an awareness and a sincere desire to do all that pleases Him and He will take it from there.. Yeah indeed He will do the work in us that needs to be done to get us accomplishing the things that we need to accomplish to bring Him the honor He is due (if we obediently submit to Him).

Haggai 1:14
And the LORD stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Josedech, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and did work in the house of the LORD of hosts, their God

May we get to the point where God is number one in our lives and in humility may we always seek God’s direction on everything we do and desire. May all we do in His Kingdom always glorify Him and may we find favor in His sight to always Honor Him.